Electric rim strikes, also known as electric door openers, electric releases, and electric release strikes, are part of a locking mechanism conventionally used to control access to buildings or areas, for example. An electric strike assembly is typically mounted into a door jam and receives a locking feature, such as a latch bolt and/or a dead bolt, which is part of a locking mechanism typically mounted in a door. The rim strike defines an opening in the frame face contiguous with the opening in the jam face of the doorframe. A pivotal keeper selectively closes the opening in the frame face to prevent or allow release of a door's latch bolt in order to lock the door or allow the door to be opened. The electric rim strike may include an actuation means (e.g., an electrically driven motor or solenoid) that works in conjunction with a blocking element, for example, to selectively prevent or allow the rotatable keeper to pivot from a first position, in which the blocking element prevents rotation of the keeper, to a second position, in which the blocking element allows the rotation of the keeper, and vice versa. Rotation of the keeper uncovers or opens the frame face opening, which allows the bolt to freely move through the opening, and thereby allows the door to be opened.
The configuration of conventional electric rim strikes, including the electronics and gear motors, for example, consume a certain amount of power. Moreover, during a continuous duty application, wherein the motor is continuously drawing power to maintain the strike in a particular actuation state, the power consumption may spike and the components of the strike can become hot to the touch, rising as much as 30-40° Fahrenheit. There is a need and desire for an electric rim strike assembly having a configuration designed for low power consumption, which may have the added benefit of reduced temperature rise during continuous duty operation.